Although there is no record of poet Edmund Spenser's parenta

[Anaira Mitch]

Although there is no record of poet Edmund Spenser's parentage, we do know that as a youth Spenser attended the Merchant Tailors' School in London for a period between 1560 and 1570. Records from this time indicate that the Merchant Tailors' Guild then had only three members named Spenser: Robert Spenser, listed as a gentleman; Nicholas Spenser, elected the Guild's Warden in 1568; and John Spenser, listed as a "journeyman cloth-maker." Of these, the last was likely the least affluent of the three-and most likely Edmund's father, since school accounting records list Edmund as a scholar who attended the school at a reduced fee.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

(A) Anybody in sixteenth century London who made clothing professionally would have had to be a member of the Merchant Tailors' Guild.

(B) The fact that Edmund Spenser attended the Merchant Tailors' School did not necessarily mean that he planned to become a tailor.

(C) No member of the Guild could become Guild warden in sixteenth century London unless he was a gentleman.

(D) Most of those whose fathers were members of the Merchant Tailors' Guild were students at the Merchant Tailors' School.

(E) The Merchant Tailors' School did not reduce its fees for the children of the more affluent Guild members.

[GMATGuruNY]

Although there is no record of poet Edmund Spenser's parentage, we do know that as a youth Spenser attended the Merchant Tailors' School in London for a period between 1560 and 1570. Records from this time indicate that the Merchant Tailors' Guild then had only three members named Spenser: Robert Spenser, listed as a gentleman; Nicholas Spenser, elected the Guild's Warden in 1568; and John Spenser, listed as a "journeyman cloth-maker." Of these, the last was likely the least affluent of the three-and most likely Edmund's father, since school accounting records list Edmund as a scholar who attended the school at a reduced fee.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

(A) Anybody in sixteenth century London who made clothing professionally would have had to be a member of the Merchant Tailors' Guild.

(B) The fact that Edmund Spenser attended the Merchant Tailors' School did not necessarily mean that he planned to become a tailor.

(C) No member of the Guild could become Guild warden in sixteenth century London unless he was a gentleman.

(D) Most of those whose fathers were members of the Merchant Tailors' Guild were students at the Merchant Tailors' School.

(E) The Merchant Tailors' School did not reduce its fees for the children of the more affluent Guild members.

Premise: Edmund Spenser attended the Merchant Tailors' School at a reduced fee.
Conclusion: Edmund's father was probably John Spenser, the least affluent of the three Guild members with the surname Spenser.

Apply the NEGATION TEST.
When the correct answer choice is negated, the conclusion will be invalidated.

E, negated:
The Merchant Tailors' School reduced its fees for the children of the more affluent Guild members.
Here, the reduced fee granted to Edmund Spencer suggests that his father was WEALTHY, invalidating the conclusion that his father was the least affluent of the three Guild members with the surname Spenser.
Since the negation of E invalidates the conclusion, E is an assumption: a statement that MUST BE TRUE for the conclusion to hold.

The correct answer is E.

[Anaira Mitch]

Although there is no record of poet Edmund Spenser's parentage, we do know that as a youth Spenser attended the Merchant Tailors' School in London for a period between 1560 and 1570. Records from this time indicate that the Merchant Tailors' Guild then had only three members named Spenser: Robert Spenser, listed as a gentleman; Nicholas Spenser, elected the Guild's Warden in 1568; and John Spenser, listed as a "journeyman cloth-maker." Of these, the last was likely the least affluent of the three-and most likely Edmund's father, since school accounting records list Edmund as a scholar who attended the school at a reduced fee.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

(A) Anybody in sixteenth century London who made clothing professionally would have had to be a member of the Merchant Tailors' Guild.

(B) The fact that Edmund Spenser attended the Merchant Tailors' School did not necessarily mean that he planned to become a tailor.

(C) No member of the Guild could become Guild warden in sixteenth century London unless he was a gentleman.

(D) Most of those whose fathers were members of the Merchant Tailors' Guild were students at the Merchant Tailors' School.

(E) The Merchant Tailors' School did not reduce its fees for the children of the more affluent Guild members.

Premise: Edmund Spenser attended the Merchant Tailors' School at a reduced fee.
Conclusion: Edmund's father was probably John Spenser, the least affluent of the three Guild members with the surname Spenser.

Apply the NEGATION TEST.
When the correct answer choice is negated, the conclusion will be invalidated.

E, negated:
The Merchant Tailors' School reduced its fees for the children of the more affluent Guild members.
Here, the reduced fee granted to Edmund Spencer suggests that his father was WEALTHY, invalidating the conclusion that his father was the least affluent of the three Guild members with the surname Spenser.
Since the negation of E invalidates the conclusion, E is an assumption: a statement that MUST BE TRUE for the conclusion to hold.

The correct answer is E.

Thanks Mitch. Amazing explanation.